Finally, authors as celebrities

What was the buzz at Raffles hotel in Makati last week that it drew such a large crowd? Who says Filipinos no longer read when the main attraction was books and authors at the 4th Philippine Readers and Writers Festival organized by the National Bookstore (NBS)?

Running from Aug. 25 to 27, the festival was open to the public free of charge. Being the largest and oldest bookstore chain in the country, NBS could easily afford to fly in foreign authors, as it does regularly. But the festival, so aptly named, allowed readers to interact with both international and Filipino authors in a well-planned daylong schedule of four simultaneous sessions to choose from, restricted only by the venue’s seating capacities. The speakers were authors of titles sold by NBS and the program allowed publishers to highlight special thrusts.

The American authors, Pierce Brown and Mark Danielewski, command a tremendous following among the youth. Brown is known for his science fiction fantasy trilogy, and Danielewski challenges readers with his experimental books and an ongoing 27-volume serial novel. I date myself when I confess to not having read any of their books or even hearing of them—I only remember with much admiration the featured author of a past festival, Amy Tan—but was delighted to meet them at a reception hosted by the US Embassy’s deputy chief of mission, Michael Klecheski. I truly felt behind in my reading when my son Roel excitedly told me that he has all of Danielewski’s books and that the challenge of reading him was well worth the trouble.

My panel on nonfiction writing for the next generation, with Carla Pacis and Bebang Siy, was held in a room that had an SRO crowd. It was a promising and auspicious sign, I remarked.

Carla, a YA fictionist, inspired the audience to do as she does in her current project: to write a family memoir as a descendant of the Syquias of Vigan, Ilocos Sur. She will do research not only on her ancestors—especially the women who were largely “ignored” in documents—but also on the generation of servants that worked for them.

Among Bebang’s tips for writers was this: to write about their environs, beginning with the street on which they live, considering how streets are constantly renamed.

But why nonfiction, a genre often not given enough credit? I mentioned three special reasons. As a people, we have such a short memory. Past events, heroes, and especially villains are not remembered, as reflected in the current situation where villains have resurfaced with impunity and are in fact back in public office.

Nonfiction informs and allows us to know ourselves better as citizens of this land—and enriches our sense of self, our sense of being Filipino.

And in the context of the unsatisfactory quality of textbooks, well-written nonfiction becomes much needed supplementary material for students, serving as a bridge from leisure reading to the rigorous academic work that schools require.

And so, Filipino readers came to meet and greet foreign and Filipino writers. They asked probing questions, showing their having closely read the books and their interest in honing their craft. It was most gratifying to see authors regarded as celebrities—something I have always dreamt for our literary community. It was a great opportunity for authors to promote their books, as events like this are few and far between.

“There were many young people in the crowd…,” Anvil general manager Andrea Pasion Flores said of the festival. “The robust sales attest to the fact that people are willing to spend for books. It was one of the few times that readers were able to come face to face with writers. It was also the occasion for writers to inspire young readers, many aspiring writers themselves.”

Special thanks should go to NBS general manager Xandra Ramos Padilla, for initiatives like the festival: May it continue to happen year after year, not only as a venue for your best-selling foreign authors and your establishment’s way of thanking loyal customers, but also to help in the nurturing of future Filipino writers. It’s a significant contribution to make.

Neni Sta. Romana Cruz (nenisrcruz@ gmail.com) is chair of the National Book Development Board and a member of the Eggie Apostol Foundation.